STOP THE WORLD! I'm getting off
by Hope Diamonde
Summary: CH 3 IS UP! Everyone has those days where they just want to get off. So when Nixie and Rane do, they discover a world where their dreams can come true. Bad sum, I know. R&R!
1. Prologue

**A/N**-here I am, with the answer to the question I know you have all been asking yourself. I said more updates in august, why haven't there been any?? Well, because something unexpected happened. I dislocated my right shoulder. Not good when I'm right handed. So I can't use my right arm for another week and a half. I'm actually typing this up with my left hand only. Let me tell you, it's difficult. So I'm starting up this new story cause the idea is on my mind and I have this beautiful new computer that I absolutely must type a story upon. So here goes nothing. I know it's short, so please bear with me, and don't forget to review!

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own Newsies. And it is likely that I don't own any of the other characters, from movies and books, that you might recognize throughout this story. I only own Nixie, Rane, their families, friends, and this bizarre plot. Enjoy!

**STOP THE WORLD! I'M GETTING OFF**

**PROLOGUE**

I guess I've always known I was different. I mean, how could you not know. My mom, she called me special, everyone else called me a freak. Right from my first day of kindergarten, when instead of going with the rest of my peers, I was brought to the "special learning room" with Mrs. Norris. She was a nice woman, but the emotional effect it had upon me was devastating. I KNEW I wasn't normal, like the other kids.

I didn't always grasp things right away. The teachers called me learning disabled, LD. The kids called me slow, dumb, stupid. And even though they were so mean to me, I still wished I could fit in with them. Stupid, I know. As I grew older, I began to realize the chances of me fitting in were slim. The first time they put me in a regular class, even if it was only for half the day, I went home in tears. I was in sixth grade, and 11 years old. That was the day it really hit me. No, not hit me, beat me into pieces. I was what they said I was. I was slow, I was dumb, I was stupid, and I was a freak. But that's when I started noticing just how much of a freak I was. I learned, that if I concentrated hard enough, I could make time slow down. I know, you don't believe me, and I didn't tell anyone cause then they'd be even more worried about me. But, if I didn't want for something to stop, I could slow down the world around me, and no one knew.

In eighth grade I met my best friend, Rane. I was a bit surprised to find her in the LD room cause she looked like one of those popular girls with the perfect blonde hair, sparkling green eyes, and a body to die for. She, however, promptly informed me she was LD and also ADHD. Then, she began incredibly occupied with watching the flying toasters on the computer screen. I knew I had found a soul mate.

She was also special, like I was. In a hushed voice one day, she told me she could go back in time ten minutes if she concentrated hard enough. And everyone and thing she was touching would go back with her. But she was the only one who knew they had just gone back in time. She was blown away when she proved it to me and I too knew we had just gone back ten minutes. Then I showed her how I could slow time down. After that, we knew we were meant to be friends. People like us had to stick together.

We spent freshman year in the basic skills, and LD classes, messing around with our "powers". Of course we had tons of fun. It was great when a guy would see Rane, be so overwhelmed by her beauty and then after five minutes realize that her brain wasn't even on this planet. I guess you could say she was a dumb blonde. Then, we'd go back in time and do it all over again, simply because we could. Soon, it didn't matter that we were different, because at least we had someone to be different with.

Sophomore year came round and the school decided to put us in some normal classes, without each other. The other kids were ruthless, and I got called more insulting names then I knew existed. Both Rane and I would go home in tears, because of the abuse we were being put through. And to top it off, no one even listened to our pleas. How could someone possibly take us serious? That's when Rane and I decided it was time for desperate measures. As you've probably guessed, it involved using our "powers". What did we do? Well, that's where I'm gonna start my story, on that fateful day when Rane Sorensen and I, Nixie Adler, stopped the world.

_"Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you, I have been changed for good."  
_-Wicked "For Good"


	2. STOP THE WORLD!

**A/N**-so, you think this is a time travel fic, do you? I guess in a way it's a time travel fic. In a bizarre, strange, and twisted way it could be. You'll see what I'm talking about. I was glad to get such positive responses, and sympathy for my shoulder. It really does suck. Anywho, we just had our entire lower floor re-carpeted and re-floored, and we're gonna do the upstairs soon, along with re-painting and re-furnishing my room. Yay!!! And, we'll be re-furnishing the computer room soon, so my comp will go down in some time. I just got back from Atlanta, I know, I'm such a busy girl! Then it's back to band camp, dunno if I'll be marching or if I'll be able to play, and after two lovely weeks of that it's back to school. So hopefully I'll have time to update. Meh, I dunno if I will. Just a side note, I know it says the general themes of the story are fantasy and romance but they only gave me two choices!! It's also humor, supernatural, and action/adventure. Fun stuff! Now, on with the story!  
  
**August 20, 2004**-I'm free! No more sling! Well actually, I can't really move my arm, just the lower half. I can type, write, and eat but I can't play my flute or piccolo for 4 weeks. So much for band camp. But this should take faster typing now that I have to hands.

**September 1, 2004-**SOOOO sorry that it's taking me this long. I've got a big AP US packet to do so I've been working on that, and band camp is making me hella exhausted so I'm doing the best I can. I can't promise any quick updating cause I don't have much time, but I'll do my best to update ASAP.

**September 18, 2004-**alright, so...yeah. Why have I started typing this thing four times and not finished? And why has it taken me so long? Well it's a long story, and a little crazy, but it's all true. First, my computer broke. Like really broke. We worked and worked on it, and finally it sort of worked again but then...nope! Luckily we had backed up all my files because when we took it to the computer store, they had to wipe the hard drive. Fun stuff. Then, school started and I had work to do and what not. A week after school had started, this pinched nerve I have in my right hand started to act up until I couldn't write anymore with out immense amount of pain. And it started to develop in my left too, but not as severe as in the right. I think I have carpal tunnel...because I write too much! So that means I can't do anymore rough writing drafts, cause I can't write that much. Sure, it hurts to type, but not as much as it does to write. I know, you're thinking what's wrong with me? Why am I always broken? Well, actually my mom and doctor are wondering the same thing, and I'm going to get blood work done soon to check for a systematic problem, such as arthritis. Yeah, fun. So, I'm trying my hardest to write my stories, but now things are really difficult for me, so please bear with me!

**CHAPTER 1-STOP THE WORLD!!!**

The day was March 17, 2004. As usual, Rane and I walked to school together. We don't really talk on the way cause I know I can't hold a serious conversation with Rane for a very long time. And we're also too tired to discuss anything. If this were last year, we'd be chattering on but no, we're so worked up that the silence is actually the best communicator of our mood. We're both too busy being lost in our minds, in our dread of the coming day. I myself didn't want to face another day of English, my first period class. The teacher doesn't pay attention to the class and of course I'm the butt of all their jokes and pranks. I took a glance at Rane whose green eyes were already tearing up in anticipation of going to algebra, her first class. As it is, Rane's not very good with math, but when you're in a class with a bunch of ninth graders who have less maturity then we do, it's not an easy ride.

The doors to the large brick building in front of us loomed closer, like the mouth of a monster, which in a way is what it was. A monster just waiting to swallow us up, digest us, and then spit us out for another day. As I do every morning, I took Rane's hand in mine and gave it a squeeze. She looked at me through her tears and managed to give me a small smile. I returned the smile and together, hand in hand, we walked through the jaws of the monster.

Immediately I felt myself get swallowed up. Of course we got stares, I mean two girls walking into the school holding hands was a big target for harassment. Within seconds we dropped hands, but since we'd been doing this since the beginning of the year, it didn't matter if our hands were linked or not, we got harassed anyway. As we pushed our way through the crowded hall calls of "freak" "dyke" "carpet muncher" and other names of the type penetrated our ears. I looked at Rane, who now had tears running down her face. I can't recall a day that didn't start for her without crying. I wish I could have said "ignore them", but I can't even ignore them. It was the perfect start to a perfect morning.

Rane and I share a locker, which we've decorated with pictures of our favorite actors, and from our favorite movies. The top half of the locker door is Rane's and is covered in pictures of Christian Bale, and as him playing Jack Kelly in Newsies. The bottom half, my half, had pictures of Ivan Dudynsky, and him being Dutchy in Newsies. If you haven't guessed by now, we're big newsies fans. The inside of the locker has pictures from scenes in Newsies, and also from Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and the Princess Diaries. Those are our favorites. There were a few others but those ones dominated the locker. After grabbing our books, and my giving Rane an encouraging hug, we went our separate ways, onto our own personal hells.

English 10, room D113, teacher: Mrs. Newton. Mrs. Newton is newly married, and new to teaching. Which almost explains why she doesn't pay attention to the class. She spends most of her time on the computer, doing who knows what. So I took my seat in the front of the room, that's where they put me because of my "disabilities". Did I mention I'm ADD along with LD. I mean I'm not as ADD as Rane, cause she's ADHD but I also have my trouble paying attention. As expected, I'm on tons of drugs, like Ritalin and others of the sort. But it doesn't matter where I sit really. I'm still teased, and relentlessly at that.

"So freak" the jock behind me hissed as I sat down. "Talked to your imaginary friends lately?" I focused on a stain on the wall that over the past months had become my only friend in this class. _Ignore them_ I told myself. _There's no one there, just ignore them._ "Ohh, are you talking to them now? What are they saying?" the kids around us laughed at this, though I frankly thought it was immature. Couldn't he think of anything better? Well, of course I had to ask, cause I sure got my answer. "So, what trick are you and your blonde friend gonna do today freak? Stop the world with your "powers"?" he burst into cold laughter, echoed by the rest of the class. I drew my eyes from the stain and focused on the floor, an acquaintance of mine. The reason why they knew was the charming guy behind me had intercepted a note I had been writing to Rane. And then it was read aloud when Mrs. Newton stepped out of the classroom. This was a month ago, and I knew I had yet to hear the end of it. I clenched the side of my chair tightly, knowing that my knuckles were turning white but I didn't care. I couldn't say anything, I just couldn't. I mean, of course they didn't understand, and it only added to me being a freak. I knew, that whatever I said, they would just twist my words and make seem even more stupid then I already am. So, I said nothing. I know it's a stupid tactic, but it's the one that works.

"Look at her" one of those blonde girls said, her voice filled with cold laughter. She was one of THOSE girls. You know, the ones who dress the way magazines say, have multiple boyfriends, always look good, and can be fakely sweet one minute, and naturally bitchy the next. The kind that Rane often gets mistaken for. Well, I mean Rane doesn't dress that way cause she always dresses a little funky, but from the head up she looks like she belongs in that clique. "She won't talk to us. What, miss "I have mystical powers"? Are you too good to talk to us? Too good to lower yourself to our level. Or maybe you're so stupid; you don't understand what I'm saying. Do...you...under...stand...me?" She said the last part slowly, as if I didn't understand. I willed the tears away from my eyes. Class hadn't even started and I was already close to tears. That was never a good sign. But, I still didn't talk. It was like a torture chamber, and they were trying to get important information out of me. But I was steadfast, I wouldn't talk. They could try all their little tricks, but they wouldn't get one bit of information out of me. Nope, none at all. In a way, it was fun to pretend that I was some important spy, and that the information I knew was so top secret it was essential that I didn't say anything. It was like a game, for them, and for me. They could spend all class making fun of me, but I'm not going to say anything. Not to Mrs. Newton, not to jock-head behind me, not to anyone.

My charade was interrupted by the morning announcements, done by our SGA president, some stuck up, cocky, "popular", senior who thinks he's the shit. Well, let me tell you. He's not. He always tried to be funny during the announcements, and he tried so hard, he wasn't. Everyone knew he wasn't funny, but all the "popular" kids laughed anyway, cause he was one of them. And he was so cool, that whatever he said had to be funny to them or they'd be considered a freak, like me. It was a sad experience, knowing that everyone around me was just being fake, and people liked them for that. But me? I'm myself, and I'm hated. It's a bunch of crap, high school is. Once the announcements were finished(thank goodness), Mrs. Newton, who had finally decided to grace the class with her presence, collected last nights homework, gave us an assignment to do, and left the room again. Seriously, what's up with that?

"Soooo..." I heard that girl say from behind me. "What are you doing tonight Josh?" without turning around, I knew that she had slinked her way over to the desk behind me, and was probably leaning on it in a seductive manner, making sure her chest was at Josh's eye level.

"Well, I don't have any plans at the current moment" he said smoothly. "Why?"

"Funny you should mention" the girl giggled. "But a few of my friends and me are having a little get together. See, Jenna's parents are out of town for the weekend, and she's got the house to herself. So, whadda ya say? Wanna go with me" at this point, I'm sure she was doing something flirtatious, like batting her eyelashes, and stroking his arm, and all that other good stuff. Whatever it is she was doing, because I frankly did not want to turn around and see that disgusting display, it must have worked because Josh, in all his jock intelligence, said yes. Little miss blondeness flounced back to her desk and I let out a sigh. Why, oh why, did I have to be cursed with the power to slow down time, not speed it up? I looked up at the clock, which was laughing at me. I'm not even kidding. It was cracking up at the fact that it was only eight, and that I had another hour trapped in hell with these superficial, idiots.

"Shut up you" I muttered under my breath at the clock mocking me, but not soft enough because Josh heard me.

"Are you imaginary friends bothering you freak?" he hissed in my ear, so no one else would hear him. It was like he wanted private tease the Nixie time. "Want me to beat them up for you? Tell them to stop?" he chuckled at his own remarks, which is honestly quite pathetic, but hey, whatever floats his boat. I bit my lip, because as much as I wished I could whip around and say something witty, I'm not exactly that bright, and I don't usually say very witty things. Just think them. It's like I can think of this incredibly powerful thing to say, and then either butcher it as soon as I stick the words in my mouth, or forget it cause I'm focusing on something else. After a couple minutes of my silence, Josh got bored and let me return to my thoughts. Which were of course, how can I get out of this hellhole? I finally resorted to my usual technique, setting my head down on my desk, and sleeping. It's a fail-proof system.

My nap was interrupted by the schools' mechanical bell, which doesn't exactly ring, it more...well I don't know what it does, but it doesn't ring. It just...does. I slipped pass my classmates, and into the crowded hall, where I was lost in the throng, and for those ten minutes, I was a normal, high school student. That, however, didn't stay the case for long once I reached the gym, for another fun day of P.E. I guess P.E. is quite possibly my favorite class, because your mental capability isn't put to the test, only your physical. And though I may not be some sports super jock, I'm decent enough that I don't get teased...too badly. I mean, there are still those popular people who feel it's their life's duty to tease me relentlessly. I did, however, have people in this class who would sort of associate with me. Y'know, make friendly small talk. People I could kind of hang out with. It was better then nothing I suppose. Today, after the usual warm ups, we played a game of softball. I did alright, hitting one single, and making three decent plays. And no one really made fun of me; except for of course, you guessed it, the popular people. But I've already figured, the best thing to do is ignore, which I did, so that didn't really bother me.

After P.E., I met Rane, and we went to lunch. We were lucky to have lunch together; the only time of the day we could spend a good chunk of time together. After buying our "lunch", if you could even call the school food that, Rane and I went to our usual corner of the cafeteria, and sat down, to tell each other our horror tales of the morning. Rane went first, as she normally does.

"So Algebra was horrible" she started, before sticking one of the push-up pops in her mouth. Rane always eats desert first, even at home. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a messy bun, her green eyes lined lightly with metallic green eye shadow, the shade of green matching her tube top, which she wore on top of a bright pink three quarter sleeve shirt, along with a pair of flared, green plaid pants, held up by a blue leopard print belt.. As I said, she dresses funky. "First, I come in, and Justin Lee asks me if I have a video of you and me together. Then, the class launched into a discussion about my sex life. Our teacher came in when I was yelling at Natalie because she said something really mean, and because she doesn't listen to me, or my side of the story, I didn't get any credit for the homework I spent three and a half hours on last night..." Rane suddenly got a blank look on her face, and looked up at the tiles on the ceiling. "How many tiles do you think there are total in this cafeteria?" she asked me. I let out a sigh. How typical Rane that was.

"Well my day wasn't any better then yours."

"What does your day have to do with the number of ceiling tiles?"

"Nothing, but before that you were talking about your day in Algebra."

"Oh my gosh! Did I tell you? I got yelled at in art? I can't remember why..." Rane bit her lip, trying hard to remember. "But I did go back in time, and then didn't get yelled at" she smiled. I laughed.

"Great!" the smile drifted off my face. "Rane, I can't stand it anymore!"

"Not knowing how many ceiling tiles there are? I know, neither can I."

"NO, not that" I rolled my eyes. "I can't stand the abuse we have to put up with, the shit we get dealt day, after day, just because we're different, just because we're not like them, just because we're not that smart."

"What's the quadratic formula?"

"I don't know. Does it really matter? Aren't you sick of it?"

"I am so totally sick of the quadratic formula. Especially since I don't even know what it is. But it's like all we talk about in math. And everyone else understands it. I don't. It's because I'm stupid."

"RANE!" I shouted in exasperation.

"Hmmm?" she said innocently, turning those big eyes on me.

"Listen" I grabbed her face, so she couldn't break eye contact with me. That's the only way I can get her to pay attention, for a longer period of time then she normally does. "One, you're not stupid. Two, we need to do something about what we have to deal with. Don't you think there's something more we can do with our powers? We must have them for a reason. There must be some catch or something. I guess it wouldn't make sense if we just had them. It's like just having a tail. There's no point. It's just there. Though it would be cool to have a tail wouldn't it? You could like hit people with it, and wag it when you're happy and..."

"Nixie..." Rane said patiently through squished cheeks. "You're getting off topic."

"Oh, right" I laughed sheepishly. "But don't you think there's some sort of point to us having these powers? Something more we can do?"

"What if we pooled them together?"

"Nah, then we'd probably like spontaneously combust."

"REALLY?!?" Rane squealed. "That would be SO cool. It'd be like, one minute, you're there and then BOOM! You've burst into a bunch of tiny pieces!"

"RANE!" I shouted. "We're not going to spontaneously combust, and it wouldn't be cool. What if, what if I stopped the world?"

"Stopped the world?" Rane repeated. "How would you do that?"

"With a lot of concentration."

"You can't concentrate."

"I can try."

"You'll spontaneously combust" she giggled. "Wouldn't that be funny? You'd get attention."

"I'D DIE!"

"Oh...right..."

"I could try..."

"Now? If it worked, if something happened, when the world resumed people would notice we were suddenly missing, or different."

"Then when? The sooner, the better."

"How about ten minutes ago...?" Rane schemed. "When we were in the bathroom. There was no one in there, and we had just come from our locker. No one will notice we're missing until fifth period, and by then, we'll be long gone."

"True" I nodded. "That's actually a great idea."

"Let's go." Rane said, determinedly. I let go of her face so she could concentrate. I watched her close her eyes, and felt her grab tightly onto my wrist. I knew it was time to close my eyes, because rushing backwards in time, even just ten minutes, can damage your eyes if they're open. I felt the ground leave me, as if it had suddenly dropped away, and the sound of rushing wind filled my ears. I held on as tightly as I could to Rane, and before I knew it, our wild ride was over, and Rane and I tumbled to the floor of the second story girl's bathroom.

"Ow." I heard Rane mutter. I wrenched my eyes open, and looked at my watch. Yup, ten minutes in the past.

"Alright, are you ready?" I asked her, standing up. Rane nodded cautiously, also standing up. I grabbed her hand and began to concentrate, but this time, harder. _Stop the world, stop the world, stop the world_, I thought over and over again. I could feel the world slowing down around us, I watched as the whirlpool in the toilet gradually slowed down, but it kept going, it didn't stop. _STOP! STOP!!_ I willed the world to stop, but it just went slow, very slow, not stopped. Finally, with all the strength I had I screamed. "STOP THE WORLD, I WANT TO GET OFF!!!" Then, with the same feeling you feel when a train comes to a jerky halt, or when your mom slams on the brakes to avoid hitting the idiot driver in front of you, Rane and a I fell forward on the ground, and I looked up the best I could, to see the toilet, stopped mid-flush.

"Did it work...?" Rane asked in disbelief. I could only nod in shock. I had actually stopped the world... I shook my head, that couldn't be possible. I stood up, helped Rane to her feet, and the two of us stepped into the hall. Now, we were used to seeing, when I slowed the world down, things look like they were stopped, but actually moving at a very slow pace. Like a person walking? Though it would take four minutes to put their foot down, they were still moving. This time, however, Rane and I stared for ten minutes, and no one moved. Nope, they were frozen in place.

"I can't believe it," I said breathlessly.

"Now what?"

"I dunno" I shrugged. "Let's go outside." So making our way through our frozen classmates, and of course pushing over some of the people who bothered us the most, Rane and I exited our prison.

"Nixie..." Rane said softly. "Look" I followed her gaze to a door in the middle of the school parking lot. It was just a door, sitting there. And we both knew it hadn't been there before.

"Do you think...?" I asked, not bothering to finish my sentence, because I think Rane knew what I meant.

"Probably..." she replied, still awe-struck, as was I. This was impossible.

"Should we...?"

"Couldn't hurt." I looked at Rane, and she shrugged. "Well, like you were saying. We must have our powers for a reason, so that door must be there for a reason. And I think we're supposed to go through it."

"Alright then." I nodded hesitantly. Surprisingly, for one of the first times in her life, Rane actually made sense. We looked at each other encouragingly, took each other's hands, and with smiles on our faces, we made our way towards the lone door. We reached the door and Rane reached out, putting her hand on the doorknob, but looking at me for confirmation.

"Good bye world" I said softly, with an almost sad smile. "We're getting off." I then gave Rane a nod, and watched as she turned the silver knob, and pushed the door open. The last thing I remember was being consumed by white light...


	3. Heaven!

**A/N-**FINALLY!! Another chapter. Woohoo! I haven't got much to say as I just typed up another story(le sigh, I know, NOT another story...)before I started this story(go read my new story! Now! I mean, after you finish reading this new chappie). So this will be short. The authors note I mean, hopefully not the chapter. Anywho...moving on...

**CHAPTER 2-HEAVEN?**

I blinked in disbelief. Tell this wasn't happening. Just tell me I was seeing things. I turned to look at Rane, whose jaw had practically dropped to the floor.

"Are...are we dead?" she asked softly.

"Not quite" a man's voice chuckled from the right of us. Both Rane and I were able to pull our eyes away from the white, cloudy, nothingness that surrounded us. A middle age man, who was begining to bald,sat at a tall wooden desk, draped in a white robe with a pair of thin glasses perched on the end of his elongated nose. "You can come a little closer" he said with a smile.

"Is this heaven?" Rane asked him as we cautiously walked over to the desk. If you ask me, it sure looked like it. Everything was white. Just pure white. We were even walking on clouds! I saw not golden gate, but in front of this was a white wall of...you guessed it, white doors. Hundreds of doors. Doors that were identical to the one we had just walked through. "Are you St. Peter?" Rane continued.

"Rane..." I hissed, elbowing her in the ribs.

"Whaaat?" she whined. "I was just asking!"

"Don't worry about it" the man laughed cheerfully. "I'm afraid this isn't heaven Miss. In fact, it's pretty far from it. Welcome to the outer realm waiting room."

"The what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Ok, I knew weird and this was beyond it. What's the chance that a door would randomly appear in the middle of the school parking lot and it just happens to lead to the outer realm waiting room, whatever the hell that is?

"The outer realm waiting room..." he repeated.

"I got that. What's the outer realm?" goodness, how dumb does this guy think I am. Just because I'm a little LD doesn't mean he too can act like I don't get stuff.

"The outer realm is almost like a parallel universe to your world, which you call Earth. We here call it the inner realm. This is the waiting room, where you register and then are accepted into the outer realm."

"And...." I prompted, feeling a little freaked out. Where are the guys with the straitjackets and Prozac? I bet you they're on their way right now. This is WAY too weird to be real.

""And...what more do you want to know?" he asked, seeming a little bit confused. Hello?? Shouldn't **I** be the confused one here?

"What's so special about this outer realm thingie?"

"Well you know how you all have books and movies in the inner realm" I nodded slowly. Ok, the men with the straitjackets aren't coming for me; they're coming for him. "In your world, those characters are fictional. Here in the outer realm is where they exist. No movies or books to act as guidelines."

"So this outer realm thing is just these fictional characters home?" Rane interjected. I turned to Rane in shock. She was paying attention? A conversation as long as the one we had been having normally wouldn't have kept her attention. Hell, I don't even know how I paid attention.

"Have you been paying attention this whole time?" I asked in disbelief. Something REALLY freaky was going on here.

"Yeah, weird I know. I was impressed too."

"That's because here you guys are normal" the man cut in.

"Excuse me" I shot back. "I don't think this concerns you. I don't even know who you are."

"I'm sorry" he apologized genuinely, which impressed me, seeing as how I had just snapped at him. "Forgive my lack of manners. I'm Retep T. S., but people normally just call me Ret."

"That's St. Peter backwards..." Rane pointed out, impressing me. How could SHE notice that, and not me? Thing were NOT making sense at all.

"That's true. How keen of you to notice."

"Can we cut the crap?!?!" I shouted, getting fed up with their antics. I'm sorry, but I'm not content with the explanation we have received, I have no idea where the hell we are, and why is Rane suddenly smarter than me?

"There's no need to overreact Nixie" Rane said softly, placing her hand gently on my shoulder. "This is an adventure. Isn't this what you wanted? An escape?"

"Yeah, but where have we escaped to? What's the purpose of this outer realm?"

"I can answer that" Ret interjected. "The outer realm is a place away from home. It is a place where people like you, people who have been teased and mocked their whole life, to just be normal, and have fun. This is your haven."

"But everyone can't just stop the world, can they?" I asked, perplexed. I wish I could say this was making sense to me, but it really wasn't. I mean, a world just for the stupid people, just where we could be normal? Well maybe I don't want to be normal. No one asked me if I wanted this.

"We monitor the inner realm closely, looking for signs of misery, depression, and desperation. Feelings of not fitting in, feelings of not being good enough, you know the sort. These feelings are detectable at a young age. We then grant these children special powers, like the ones you two were blessed with. It is then up to the bearer of these powers to use them for their benefit or not. So no, not everyone can stop the world as you did, but they can in their own special ways if their will is strong enough, as the two of yours was." Alright, this is starting to make a little sense, but I still have no idea who this person is. I mean, is he some sort of alien, or an angel, or what. Because _normal_ people don't have these kinds of powers. Ahh! Too much thinking!

"That's kinda cool" Rane said with a small smile. "And charitable. Isn't that great Nixie? They're helping us to be happy!"

"Who's they?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't get some crap answer. Now that I'm _normal_, I'm not going to take anymore of those BS answers people feed me and pretending that the answer makes sense. Nope, those days of innocence are over for me.

"I'm afraid I can't really answer that" I glared at Ret. This is NOT what I wanted. Some "you wouldn't understand" answer. I can't stress how much that infuriates me. "It's really complicated. And it's not exactly that you wouldn't understand as much as it would take me years to explain exactly who "we" are and where we come from. I hope you understand. I'm not trying to blow you off, or push the question aside. It's just that it's a complicated answer, though the question is so simple" Ret gave me an encouraging smile and I felt relieved. Not at the fact that he didn't give me an answer, but that he didn't talk down to me. It was kinda nice the way that he talked to me like I was an equal.

"Are you from here?" Rane asked curiously.

"Where is here?" Ret responded friendlily. "I can't answer that question either. But I do have some questions for you girls. First, I need your full names" Ret proceeded to pull a large brown book out from shelf under the desk and set it down, with a loud thud, on the desktop.

"I'm Rane Sorenson" Rane replied, before looking at me. I gave her a shrug, signifying that she could give him my name. I have to admit, Rane was right. This was an adventure, what I was looking for. Is it exactly what I expected? Well, I don't know how to answer that cause I don't know what I expected. But it can't hurt to tell him my name, can it? I mean that's what life's about, taking risks. "And she's Nixie Adler."

"Ah yes" Ret said, flipping through the pages of the book before stopping on one. "Well it's seems you girls certainly deserve a break from your lives. It's a pleasure having you join us."

"What now?" I asked, looking at all the doors before me. So many selections, how do you choose?? "Do we just pick a door?"

"Oh no" Ret said with a chuckle. "If it only were that easy. You can't just walk into the outer realm like you own the place. There are rules. Now let's see, you girls are assigned to the Newsies sector..." my ears perked up at that. Newsies??!?!? We're going to see, and meet, the Newsies?!?!? Scratch everything I was just complaining about! I don't care where I am, who you are, whatever...I'M GOING TO MEET THE NEWSIES!!!! "...so I believe that your guide will be Hope." I snapped out of my happy dance, which involved me and Rane circling about singing _we're gonna meet the newsies _over and over.

"Who?" I asked, but Ret didn't need to answer my question. Through a door I hadn't noticed, this one being red and marked with a **NO UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY** sign, walked a short girl, not much shorter than myself, and I'm 5'2". She wore clothes period to 1899, a pair of tattered black slacks with faded yellow suspenders hanging down, brown boots under her pants, and a red men's button down shirt open over a grey (it was probably once white) wife beater type shirt. Her curly brown hair fell to her shoulders and was topped off with a grayish newsie cap, and her light brown eyes were lined softly with what looked like charcoal. I noticed that tucked in her belt was a slingshot and something that was clearly out of period, a gun. But it wasn't like any of the guns I'd associate with 2004. It looked like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, like something from outer space. I had to remind myself, that it could actually be something from outer space.

"Hey Ret!" she said cheerfully before blowing a bubble with the gum she was chewing. I was bewildered. Was she from the past, the present, or the future? What was going on???

"Nixie, Rane, I'd like you to meet Hope, your guide" Ret introduced. With a smirk, Hope bowed to us in a mocking manner.

"'Tis a pleasure to meet ya" she said, laughter in her voice.

"Same..." I said a little reluctantly. Strange character, this girl Hope was.

"Alright, listen up" she said, her tone changing to authoritative. "The rules are simple. For the first three weeks you're here, you have to stay in the sector you're placed. In your case, it happens to be in the newsies sector. But don't worry about that because I'll be with you the whole time. Try and stay within the period, it makes things more fun. Also, you can't leave the outer realm for those three weeks either. But that's not a concern either. If you have any questions, concerns, gripes, requests, or muffins, come to me. I prefer chocolate chip" she smiled at this, showing off a row of perfect white teeth and two dimples. "Don't do anything stupid, stay out of trouble, if you need help call me. Only guides are allowed to carry stunners" she motioned to the gun on her hip. "And those are only for the most serious of cases. If I forgot anything, I'll probably remember later and I'll tell you then." I blinked. This girl had just said this whole speech without even taking a breath! That had to take talent. I took a glance at Rane, who was grinning. Well she looked excited. And I should be excited too. I get to spend three weeks, AT LEAST, with the newsies, with barley any restraints. Plus, this Hope seemed alright, perhaps it wouldn't be bad having her around all the time. She probably knew all the secret alleys, and lots of other things that could come in handy. Hey, this sounds like an awesome adventure, certainly beyond my imagination.

"What are we waiting for?" Rane exclaimed. "Let's go!"

"Slow down" Hope laughed. "First, we need to get you out of those rags and into something more suitable. You'll find clothes in the closet" she pointed to a brown door that I'm sure wasn't there before. But you know what? I've decided the best thing to do here was not ask, because things didn't always have to make sense. Rane and I stepped into the closet, finding ourselves surrounded by clothes from 1899. They had everything! You name it they had it! I picked out a pair of khaki slacks, a blue men's shirt, which I buttoned up except for the top three buttons, rolled the sleeves past my elbows, and tucked in, and gray suspenders, which I let hang down. I chose a pair of brown loafers to accompany the outfit. Somehow, they all fit, but again I wasn't going to ask. Rane chose a black skirt that had been torn at the bottom, making it only down to her knees. She found a light green blouse that complimented her eyes beautifully, and a pair of ankle high black boots. With me perching a brown newsie cap on top of my moose brown hair, the two of us exited the closet, newsified.

"Wonderful!" Hope said cheerfully with a smile. "Now, if you're ready" she looked at both of us, and we nodded. What an adventure this was turning out to be! "Alright then..." and for the second time that day Rane and I stepped through a strange looking door, but this time when we stepped through and were consumed by a strange white light, I wasn't half as scared as I was excited. **I** was going to meet the Newsies! Ret was wrong. This was truly heaven!

_"Feels like I'm knockin' on heaven's door"-Guns'N'Roses_


End file.
